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        New Message Board Archives >> 2006-2007 Getting to Know Ya Posts >> thanks to all
        
(Message started by: brianhare on May 7^th, 2007, 2:14am)

Title: thanks to all
Post by brianhare on May 7^th, 2007, 2:14am

Well i`ll begin my first post by saying thanks to all here and this forum..I`m a newbe here but not new to cluster headaches unfortunately,i`ve had them since i was 17 and i`m now almost 43.

The reason i`m thanking you guy`s/girl`s is that in all this time since i was a teenager i`ve suffered with only the aid of tylenol 3 to help with the pain and help me get some sleep at night.I did not know about imitrex.I first learned about it here a week ago...

My doctor didn`t even know for the first 10 years or better that what i had was cluster headeaches till she looked back in my history and noticed that these headaches always started on March 15th of every year and called a nero to confirm.I`ve seen a nero a bunch of times and he`s not a bunch of help either though..I`ve been pain free for about 3 years till this year when it returned to make life hell for me again...

So if you can give me some advice,since it appears you collectively know a lot more than me and my doctor on imitrex.I`ve been trying the nasal spray,works great,been using the 5 mg.Usually have to take it twice as i`m up at night twice with these headaches,and sometimes once again in the morning.This makes 15mg total each day.Is this excessive,my doctor says you can go up to 40mg a day but she says shes never used this for treatment of clusters,only for migranes and that she doesn`t think i can stay on this for for my usual 6-8 week trip i usually have.I know ultimately my doctor is who i must follow but she listens well to anything i can find out about this..

I guess what i`m asking is is it normal for a person to use this for a 6-8 week cycle at this low a rate....the tylenol 3 works to some degree but leaves me half sick and nasia from it is no treat either,and it takes about 40 minutes or so to take pain down to a level where a tall bridge to jump off of is unnecessary any more...the imitrek actually works in about 5-10 minutes tops and i have no side affects i can find..

By the way,i really feel for people that have this as a cronic disorder...I count myself as very lucky to only have this for the 6-8 weeks.It must take quite a person to suffer this all year round and still be able to hold it together...thanks again... ;)

Oh,if you are surfing the internet and would like to see photos i have online then click the link below and click each sub album on my photobucket site i have up,hope you enjoy the photos..

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v147/brianhare/

Brian Hare

Title: Re: thanks to all
Post by Guiseppi on May 7^th, 2007, 10:54am

Oxygen!!!! And an abortive of some sort.

Print out the oxygen info on the left and get your doc to prescribe it. You mention that tylenol 3 helps but it takes about 40 minutes to help....coincidentally the medium length of a CH. I suspct your CH is winding down about the time the codeine is hitting your system! Narcotic pain killers are about worthless for CH cuz it takes too long to get into your system and they really don't touch the pain.

I didn't have much luck with the imitrex spray but others have had good luck with it. I use the injectable imitrex and it'a a miracle drug for me when my oxygen fails me.

Then a preventative. Something you take during your cycle to reduce the frequency and the severity of your head aches. I use lithium at 1200 mg a day, others use verapamil and topomax among others. Print out the med page and talk with your neuro about them.

Then read, read, read. As you've already learned doctors don't know much about these. You will have to be your own advocate and educate the docs. And get oxygen!!!! (Did I already mention that???) Welcome to the board, hoping it's a short cycle for you.

Guiseppi

Title: Re: thanks to all
Post by brianhare on May 8^th, 2007, 9:39pm

Thanks Guiseppi,i appreciate the advice,i`m going to see my doctor monday and will be armed with a lot of new knowledge,she seems very appreciative of any outside knowledge as clusters is not very common to her practice anyway...i`ll see what she thinks about oxygen and some of the abortive drugs i`ve read about here..thanks again...

Brian

Title: Re: thanks to all
Post by Rosybabe on May 9^th, 2007, 6:11pm

Hi Brian!

http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u89/pinkatoo/welcome.gif

Hope you get the meds you need and please keep us inform about your visit to the Doctor.

Pain free wishes for you!!

Title: Re: thanks to all
Post by MR_FLOOR on May 16^th, 2007, 5:20pm

What's up Brianhare,Me and you are almost the same.I started getting my CHs when I was 17 and I'm now 42.My suggestion is to stay away from the narcotics.To me they just make things worse.Imitrex injections are the best for me ,they work in about 5 mins Good Luck.

Dave